Uzbek Samsa (Baked Meat-Filled Pastries)

About This Recipe

Uzbek Samsa is a real, traditional Uzbek dish, known as Baked Meat-Filled Pastries. Flaky, layered pastry triangles filled with spiced ground lamb and onion, baked in a tandoor-style oven until deeply golden.\n\nSamsa reflects Uzbekistan's Silk Road connections to South and Central Asian samosa traditions, traditionally baked stuck to the walls of a hot clay tandoor oven, giving the pastry a distinctive smoky char.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Uzbek home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 gall-purpose flour
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for dough)
• 200 mlwarm water
• 2 tbspneutral oil, for the dough
• 500 gground lamb or beef
• 2yellow onions(finely diced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for filling)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspbutter(melted, for layering)
• 1egg(beaten, for egg wash)
• 2 tbspsesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, salt and warm water into a smooth dough, kneading for 8 minutes. Rub with oil, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Combine ground meat, diced onion, cumin, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly; the onion should release moisture into the meat for a juicy filling.

3. 3

   Roll and layer

   Roll the dough into a large thin sheet, brush with melted butter, fold in layers, and rest for 15 minutes before rolling again into a thin sheet.

4. 4

   Cut and fill

   Cut the dough into squares, place a spoonful of filling in the center of each, and fold into a triangle, sealing the edges firmly.

5. 5

   Top

   Arrange the triangles on a baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. 6

   Bake

   Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 30 to 35 minutes until deeply golden and flaky.

Variations

• •

  A pumpkin and onion filling is a popular vegetarian version, especially in autumn.

• •

  Some households add a bit of chopped fresh dill to the meat filling.

• •

  Use ground beef instead of lamb for a milder flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions